Motor-fan unit mounting for suction cleaner



July 15, 1958 l.. J. FAITH-ELL MOTOR-FAN UNIT MOUNTING FOR sUcTIoN CLEANER Filed May `17, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVE TOR.. im:

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MOTOR-FAN UNIT MOUNTING FOR SUCTION CLEANER Filed May 17. 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

MTR-FAN UNl'll MUNUNG FOR SUCTION @LEANER laars .lohan Faith-Ell, Stockholm, Sweden, assigner to Alrtieholaget ldlektrolnx, Stockholm, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Application May 17, 1.955, Serial No. 509,042

Claims priority, application Sweden May 19, 1954 6 (Claims. (Cl. 236-235) My invention relates to suction cleaners, and is particularly concerned with a mounting for a motor-fan unit in cleaners of this type.

lt is an object of my invention to provide an improved resilient mounting for motor-fan units in suction cleaners in which the motor-fan unit can be iirmly secured in position with a minimum amount of effort and readily detached from the suction cleaner. l accomplish this by resiliently mounting the motor-fan unit in position in such manner that parts associated with the motor-fan unit and suction cleaner casing coact to provide a slip-clamp type of connection.

Another object of the invention is to mount the motorfan unit in a suction cleaner casing in such a manner that the gap between the motor-fan unit and the casing is at least partly bridged by a web-like diaphragm formed of a material having good insulating properties. More particularly, it is an object to employ a diaphragm of this kind to provide a seal between the suction cleaner casing and motor-fan unit to prevent iiow of air therebetween.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in Athe claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of my invention, reference may be had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a longitudinal View of a vacuum cleaner, partly broken away and in section, embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating details of parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View like that of Fig. 2 to illustrate additional details of parts shown in Fig, l;

Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse sectional views taken at lines l--iand 5-5 of Fig. l; and i Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views taken at lines 6-6 and 7--7 of Fig. 3;

Referring to the drawing, l have shown my invention applied to a horizontal tank-type vacuum cleaner 19 having a casing 11 provided with a handle 12 and runners 1li which are fixed to the casing in any suitable manner to facilitate movement thereof on a supporting surface. The casing 11 is provided with removable end covers, only the front end cover 15 being partly shown in Fig. l. The end cover 1e is formed with an opening le to which a suction hose (not shown) is adapted to be connected. Within the casing 11 is provided a perforated partition or wall 1i", at one side of which is disposed a dust bag 17 for collecting dirt. At the opposite side of the partition 1'7 is disposed a suction or motor-fan unit ld which includes a centrifugal fan 19 carried at one end of an electric motor 2t).

Zldl Patented July l5, 1958 When the vacuum cleaner is being operated and the fan 19 driven by the motor 20, dust-laden air is drawn through the suction hose into the interior of the casing 1l. During the cleaning operation, dust collects in the dust bag 17, and air free of such dust passes through the dust bag and the perforated partition 17 into the inlet 21 of the fan 19. The air is discharged from the fan l5 and flows through the motor 2t) to effect cooling thereof, such air passing from the motor at 22 and thereafter being discharged through a suitable opening in the removable end cover (not shown) at the rear 23 of the cleaner.

Within the housing of the fan 19 are disposed a number of centrifugal fan blades (not shown) mounted on the shaft of the electric motor 20, such blades having the central inlet opening 21 at the side of the fan facing the perforated partition 17. The fan 19 is provided with a two-part housing including a rear part 24 carried by the motor 2t) and a forward part 2S telescopically fitting the rear part 24 and held in place.` by resilient clips 2d having inwardly bent ends, as best shown in Fig. l. All of the air drawn into the fan 19 at the inlet 21 passes into the interior of the motor 2d and is discharged from the shell thereof at the opening 22 which may be in the form of an apertured cage enveloping the commutator end of the motor.

ln accordance with my invention, the motor-fan or suction unit 13 is detachably mounted in position within the casing 11 with the aid of a ring-shaped member or annular liange 27 and a stationary wall part 28 which coact to form a slip-clamp type of connection, suitable springs 29 and 30 and a resilient member 31 providing a resilient mounting for the motor-fan or suction unit. The ring-shaped member or annular flange 27, springs 29 and Sil and resilient member or gasket 31 form part of an assembly 32 which is carried by and forms a unitary part of the motor Ztl, while the stationary wall part 28 forms a rim and is fixed in position within the casing 11.

As best shown in Figs. l, 2 and 4, the motor 20 is provided with four outwardly extending lugs 33 to which the assembly 32 is iixed. The lugs 33 include radially extending wall parts 34, against the opposing surfaces of which bear the large ends of the conical-shaped springs 29 and Sil which may be referred to as basket spring units. Bolts 35, which extend through the conicalshaped springs 29 and Sil and openings 36 in the lugs 33, threadably receive tightening nuts 37 to connect the lugs to an inwardly extending ange 38 of a shield 39 of annular form which is zigzag-shaped in section and disposed about the electric motor 20 and spaced therefrom. Each bolt 35 receives a spacer member d0, one end of which bears against the small end of the conicalshaped spring 3i) to maintain the springs under tension when the nuts 37 are threadedly secured to the bolts 35. The resilient member or gasket 31 of annular form mcludes a U-shaped part or sealing member 41 in which snugly tits an outwardly extending flange 42 of the zigzagshaped shield 39. One leg 43 of the U-shaped part 41 of the resilient member 31 is bent at a right angle and forms a sleeve which bears against the outer surface of the intermediate part of the shield 39 and is disposed at the vicinity of the inner periphery of the annular flange 27. The opposite leg 4d of the U-shapedl part 41 of the resilient member extends radially inward and is formed with an edge portion or bead 4S which resiliently flexes and lits snugly against a shoulder formed at one end of the shell of the motor Ztl.

The ring-shaped member or annular flange 27 is carried by the outwardly extending part 42 of the shield 39 and disposed about the intermediate part thereof, In the preferred embodiment shown, the ring-shaped member or annular flange 2'7 is `formed with openings which threadedly receive screws 46, the heads of which bear against a bearing plate 47 provided at one face of the sealing member or U-shaped portion 4f of the resilient member or gasket 3f. The ring-shaped member or annular flange 27 and wall part 28 coact and cooperate to form a slipclamp type of connection for mounting the motor-fan or suction unit 1S resiliently in position in the casing lll. As best seen in Figs. l and 3, the wall part 2.8 lforms part of a stifening member located between the apertured wall 17 and rear end 23 of the cleaner.

The wall part or rim 23 forms a transverse wall section within the casing fl which is apertured and has a large central opening through which the motor-fan or suction unit 18 can be moved. As shown in Fig. 5, the wall part 28 forms a rim which, at the inner peripheral edge portion thereof, is provided with notches or recesses 43 which are spaced apart from one another to form a plurality of circumferentially interspaced projections and indentations. The ring-shaped member 27 is provided with outwardly projecting parts or projections 49 which are spaced from one another to form a plurality of circumferentially interspaced projections and indentations. wlil/hen the projections 49 are directly in front of and in axial alignment with the recesses 48 in the wall part 28, the ring-shaped member or annular flange 27 can be moved axially of the casing l1 and pass through the central opening in the wall part or rim 28. When the motor-fan unit 1 8 is being mounted in the position in this manner and thereafter turned angularly about an axis extending axially of the casing 11, the projections i9 on the ring-shaped member or annular flange 27 become wedged against the peripheral edge portions 48 of the wall part 0r rim 28 which are disposed between the notches or recesses f8 therein.

In View of the foregoing, it will now be understood that an improved slip-clamp form of mounting has been provided for the motor-fan unit f8 which is extremely rugged and also enables the unit to be mounted in position Within the casing lll and removed therefrom with a minimum amount of effort. The spiral springs 29 and 30 and resilient member 3l are extremely effective in suppressing vibrations of the motor-fan unit f8. When it is desired to remove the motor-fan unit lg from the casing lll, the end cover (not shown) at the rear end Z3 of the cleaner is first removed. When access is gained to the tightening screws 46, these screws are loosened with a suitable tool, for example, a screw driver. The screws de are not completely Unthreaded from the ring or annular flange Z7 when the screws are loosened. This permits the motorfan unit 1S and assembly 32 carried thereby to be rotated bodily until the projections e9 on the ring are directly opposite the notches or recesses 38 in the stationary wall part or rim 28. When these parts are in alignment, the motor-fan unit f8 can be withdrawn from the casing ll of the cleaner.

Conversely, when it is desired to mount the motor-fan unit 13 in position in the casing 1l, the unit, with the assembly 32 fastened thereto, is moved lengthwise of the casing 11 to the position `shown in Fig. 1. With the projections 49 on the ring or annular flange 27 positioned in front of the recesses 48 in the wall part or rim 28, the motor-fan unit is moved lengthwise of the casing to position the ring or annular flange 27 at one side of the wall part or rim 2S and the U-shaped part 4l of the resilient member 3l at the opposite side thereof. When this occurs, the motor-fan unit f3 can be angularly turned or rotated to wedge Vand lock the projections 49 on thev ring or annular flange behind the portions 48' of the rim 2S which are disposed between the notches or recesses 43 in the latter, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. Thereafter, the screwsfl are tightened to secure the motor-fan unit f3 rigidly in position.

CII

The resilient member or gasket 3l, which desirably may be formed of material like rubber, for example, forms a web-like diaphragm having the form shown in Fig. 2. The U-shaped part ll and inwardly extending leg 44 of the diaphragm together form a seal between the wall of the casing .l1 andthe shell of the motor 20 at the vicinity of the wall part or rim 2d. With such a seal, all of the air drawn into the fan housing 19 is directed through the motor shell and is discharged therefrom at 22 at the commutator end of the motor, for example. In this way, efficient air-cooling of the motor 20 is effected. It should be observed that the bellows-type diaphragm moves into place by itself when the motor-fan unit l is mounted in position, thereby sealing the gap between the shell of motor Ztl and the wall part or rim 28 on the casing 11. Hence, in mounting and removing the motor-fan unit 18, it is only necessary to tighten or loosen the screws 46.

lt will also be observed that the resilient gasket 31 includes the cylindrical or sleeve-like portion 43 which bears against the intermediate part of the shield 39. In this way, the shield 39 is electrically insulated from the ring or annular flange 27, which may be referred to as the bayonet-lock ring, and from the casing 11 of the vacuum cleaner, such insulation of the shield 39 being effected by increasing the creep path between the motor 20 and the casing 11.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, such variations and modifications are contemplated as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention, as pointed out in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a suction cleaner, a casing having a transverse apertured wall section forming a rim dening an opening, a suction unit, an annular flange on the suction unit, the rim at the inner periphery thereof having a plurality of circumferentially interspaced projections and indentations, the flange at the outer periphery thereof having a plurality of circumferentially interspaced projections and indentations, the projections on the rim and flange being interlocked when the projections on the flange are moved axially of the casing through the indentations in the rim and the rim and the flange are then rotated with respect to one another about an axis extending axially of the casing, a sealing member of annular form at the vicinity of the flange, and fastening means for removably securing the flange and sealing member to the rirn with the projections on the flange and rim interlocked, the sealing member and projections on the flange being disposed at opposite faces of the rim when secured -to the latter by the fastening means.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim l in which the annular flange forms part of a mount for the suction unit, the aforementioned mount including a resilient annular gasket forming the sealing member.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which said fastening means comprises members which pass through aligned openings in the annular resilient gasket and the flange and regions which are removed from the inner periphery of the rim, the openings in the flange being threadedly connected to the members.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim l in which the annular flange forms a part of a mount for the suction unit, the aforementioned mount comprising a plurality of members including a resilient annular gasket forming the sealing member, and said gasket having a sleeve which extends through the opening at the inner periphery of the rim and includes a portion at the vicinity of the inner periphery of the flange.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the annular flange forms part of a mount for the suction unit, the aforementioned mount including a resilient annular gasket forming the sealing member which is in seal- References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Bilde May 31, 1932 Ahnstrom Apr. 14, 1936 Orear Oct. 25, 1938 Paulus Jan. 5, 1943 Rector Nov. 23, 1948 Sheahan Oct. 20, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain May 18, 1931 

